SUPERHEROES will always have a special place in the hearts of those of us who enjoy fanciful, other-worldly films full of action and spectacle.

Marvel have certainly been at the forefront of comic books being adapted into big-budget, box-office smashes with the likes of Spider-Man, Iron-Man and more recently Thor and Captain America.

With the Blu-ray and DVD of Marvel’s The Avengers - aka Avengers Assemble - about to be released, we chat with actor Jeremy Renner – who plays Hawkeye in the movie.

How much did you enjoy the filmmaking process on Marvel’s The Avengers ?

Shooting The Avengers was a blast. It’s a great honor to be a part of such a massive franchise and to be in a movie that people are going to see across the world. It’s a cool feeling and it’s a great opportunity, too. I’m also glad to be a part of such an incredible cast.

What do you like about your character?

[ Marvel’s The Avengers producer] Kevin Feige showed me images of Hawkeye from The Ultimates and they were very cool, but what I liked more then anything was the idea that he’s a human being with a high skill set who is a bit of a rogue agent. I’ve played a few snipers before and there’s a really interesting mentality that comes along with being a sharp shooter, so I thought this was a pretty fun character to play.

Did you have a lot of archery training for the role?

I wanted to do my due diligence; to know enough about archery and to understand why things are – but we’re in a Marvel universe with Super Heroes and monsters. To be honest, I actually didn’t have to do very much archery training because I was using CGI arrows and I was shooting CGI monsters. Being a Super Hero and a super marksman, Hawkeye doesn’t look where he’s shooting, so I had to get rid of the actual archery skillset and just know that I’m pulling things and firing 1000 times faster than any archer could ever fire.

Did you do any physical training for the role?

The training I did involved hand-to-hand combat, knife training and Muay Thai. Using the bow as a staff, as a weapon for close-quarters combat, was also very new to me – but I did the best I could with what I was given.

Did you enjoy the training?

I loved it. It’s like learning a new language or a dance. It’s not a form of communication by any means, but it’s certainly a fun skillset. I didn’t know that I could do any of this stuff and there were some things that I picked up more easily than others, but I worked hard and I had fun with it. It’s the best part of being an actor, working with people who are the best in the world at whatever it is you’re doing. So, in this movie, we had some of the best fight people around. They are real masters of their craft and they are tremendous. You get to be with them eight hours a day for five months and you hopefully become pretty good at the dang thing, too, or at least pretty knowledgeable. It’s wonderful to walk away from a film knowing that you learned a lot of new skills.

What do you think of Hawkeye’s costume in the movie?

All of the Avengers look cool and badass, but I really didn’t want to wear purple tights for the role. I talked to Kevin Feige before the script was even written, and I knew they were going for The Ultimates version of Hawkeye, which is a little bit more plausible and realistic than the comic books – but that was my only request; no tights. If you have to wear a Super Hero costume, Hawkeye’s is a pretty comfortable one for the most part. Some of the others are cool, but really hot and heavy, so I had an easy time in comparison. I’d be out of hair and makeup in five minutes and then all I’d have to do was put on a vest and some really tight biker pants.

How much did you enjoy the Hollywood premiere and party for the movie?

The premiere was really good fun. It was also my mom’s birthday, so I spent more time hanging out with my mom than anything else. It was great.

Is your mother proud of your success as an actor?

As long as I am happy, she’s happy. But she’s been happy for me for many years because I have been doing what I love to do. There’s just a little bit more icing on the cake to see success like this.

Did your mother every try to persuade you to do something else apart from acting?

No, never. Initially, my whole family was terrified because they didn’t know anything about being an actor – but most things that we are all afraid of is the unknown. Nobody in my family is an artist, but I just knew that I loved doing what I did. I got lucky and I worked hard, and it paid off.

How does it feel to graduate to blockbuster movies like Marvel’s The Avengers ?

It’s great. Firstly, there’s much better food on set and there’s a lot more money spent when you’re working on a big movie like this. It’s also nice to know that you have a support system of a studio behind you. You know they are going to market the movie and that people will actually see it. A lot of the time with independent films, people don’t see them or the content isn’t quite there, so it’s nice to be in a big movie. It’s fun. I love little movies, too, which is when you get the chance to get down and dirty and make it happen – but I suppose there’s a little bit more luxury to making big movies.

Talking of blockbuster movies, how much fun did you have working on The Bourne Legacy ?

It was a tremendous experience, but it was different to The Avengers . I feel like The Avengers was a massive spectacle. It was so big that I didn’t even see half the actors in the movie – but Bourne wasn’t like that. It’s also a massive franchise, but it felt like a little independent movie in comparison.

What’s next for you?

I’m taking a break for a while. I’ve done five movies in a row over the last two years, but I didn’t get a day off. I want to see my family and friends, and be around those that I love. Maybe I’ll try something else for a while? For starters, I’m building a house – but let’s see where the world takes me after that.